Larkspur man accused of robbing 11 banks in Marin County

Criminal charges are stacking up against a Larkspur man accused of robbing 11 banks in Marin County during the past year.

Christopher Jay Wootton, 60, appeared in court Friday for the fourth time since being shot and arrested last month after a robbery at the Bank of the West in downtown Novato. His past court appearances were all merely administrative until the District Attorney's Office completed a report detailing all the charges against him.

On Friday, the District Attorney's Office filed an amended 16-page complaint against Wootton, adding 10 counts of bank robbery. The report alleges Wootton is responsible for a total of 11 robberies from Dec. 12, 2012 to Nov. 21, 2013 in Novato, Mill Valley, San Rafael, Corte Madera, San Anselmo and Greenbrae.

He'd previously been charged with robbing a Novato bank, pulling a gun on a sheriff's deputy and sergeant, recklessly evading police and carrying a loaded gun in a vehicle.

Those initial charges stem from a Dec. 11 incident when Wootton allegedly robbed the Bank of the West in Novato and led police on a chase into San Rafael. Wootton crashed into a pole in Terra Linda, tried to run away and allegedly pointed a gun at sheriff's officials. A sheriff's deputy fired at Wootton and wounded him in the upper body and hand. Wootton spent several days at Marin General Hospital before being transferred to Marin County Jail.

Wootton, who has prior convictions for kidnapping, burglary and check fraud, is scheduled to appear in court again Jan. 22 and Jan. 31, at which point he will be arraigned and might enter a plea.

During Friday's proceedings in front of Judge James Chou, Michael Coffino, Wootton's public defender, said he plans to address the matter of the Independent Journal taking photos of Wootton outside the courtroom last month after the judge had denied the newspaper permission to take his picture inside the courtroom.

Coffino said the photographs violate the "spirit" of the judge's order and he plans to bring it up in future litigation. Judge Chou did not address the issue.

According to the American Civil Liberties Union, people are allowed to photograph anything in plain view in public spaces where people are lawfully allowed to be present as part of their rights under the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution.